Booktalk: A Crack in the Sky by Mark Peter Hughes

Eli, a citizen of a domed city created by Infini Corp, finds himself labelled a terrorist when he questions the company’s message that everythign is “just fine”. With his telepathic pet mongoose and like-minded friends, Tabitha, Eli must take on Infini Corp– and his family– before it is too late.

Tips:

Eli’s family runs Infini Corp and he is expected to take a position of power within it, until he notices serious flaws with the domes and artificial environments that are designed to protect the people from the environmental chaos of the outside world. When his warnings are ignored, he continues to seek answers and then becomes labelled a danger.

Eli is sent to a reeducation school where he meets Tabitha. Both are uniquely able to withstand the CloudNet, a shield put in place to keep the people ignorant of the problems facing their world.

This is expected to be a series and is an interesting example of dystopian fiction. Readers of the City of Ember series by Duprau may find this to be an interesting addition to the genre, though there are definitely more mature themes discussed.

One of the best aspects of this novel is the series of resources listed in the back highlighting specific and real scientific studies and stories that aided the author in the creation of this story.